Sunday Telegraph Cryptic No 3064
A full review by gnomethang
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This puzzle was published on 12th July 2020
BD Rating – Difficulty *** – Enjoyment ***
Morning All! – I didn’t solve this on the day due to Golf and Apres-Golf but certainly enjoyed many of the clues, particularly when sorting them out for the review.
Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.
Across
1a Look back inside light and push, connecting electrical device (5-3,4)
THREE-PIN PLUG – Reverse PEER (look back) inside THIN for light and then add PLUG for push (in advertising)
9a Sunny market (4)
FAIR – Two definitions – one good weather and the other a country market, say.
10a Coming from church, what might Rosemary say confidently to Herb? (9)
BASILICAN – If The herb Rosemary was avowing confidence to another herb she might say BASIL, I CAN.
12a Come and see bread after it’s risen? (4,2)
ROLL UP – A bread that is risen could be a ROLL that is UP.
13a Rubbish is around square (8)
DINOSAUR – An anagram (rubbish) of IS AROUND.
15a Crack — mentally and physically? (2,2,6)
GO TO PIECES – A fairly straightforward double definition of a mental breakdown as well as something physically falling apart.
16a Odd bits of toenails, dark greenish-blue (4)
TEAL – The odd letters (bits) in T o E n A i L s.
18a Unopened post bag (4)
TAKE – Remove the first letter (it is unopened) of a (s)TAKE or post.
20a Home builder: reliable chap joining broody female? (10)
BRICKLAYER – A reliable person is a BRICK (although slightly antiquated) this joins a LAYER or a broody female hen.
23a Bird enthusiast with warm eggs (8)
MUTHATCH – A charade of a NUT or fan/enthusiast and to HATCH or warm eggs.
24a Knight at home touring large European capital (6)
DUBLIN – TO DUB or knight/ennoble and IN (at home) around/touring L for Large.
26a Ocean waves increase a further time (4,5)
ONCE AGAIN – A waving anagram of OCEAN followed by a GAIN or increase.
27a Fate when state of mind reversed (4)
DOOM – A reversal (reversed) of a MOOD or state of mind.
28a Initials on item used for entering a couple of flats, possibly? (3,9)
KEY SIGNATURE – A SIGNATURE or initials on a letter is after (ON in an across clue) a KEY (used for entering a locked door or even a letter on a computer).
Down
2d Expression of discontent arrives in sulk before start of holidays (8)
HARRUMPH – Place ARR. For arrives (an abbreviation seen on timetables) inside the HUMP or sulk and then add the starting letter in H(olidays).
3d Tuscan island fit for uprising? (4)
ELBA – A reversal (for uprising of ABLE/fit.
4d Plague in spleen etc, I suspect (10)
PESTILENCE – An anagram, indicated by suspect, of SPLEEN ETC I.
5d Naval commander embraced by colonels only (6)
NELSON – The Lord Admiral is hidden in/embraced by colo NELS ON ly.
6d Produce milk for baby: feat feeding past midnight? (7)
LACTATE – An ACT or feat is inside/feeding LATE for past midnight.
7d Unspecific award for old US leader (7,5)
GENERAL GRANT – A charade of GENERAL/unspecified and GRANT/award. There was me looking for a General Oscar!.
8d Hammer: force nailing everything (6)
MALLET – The MET or Metropolitan Police FORCE surrounding or nailing ALL for everything.
11d Book that’s brilliant about popular music (8,4)
BRIGHTON ROCK – BRIGHT for brilliant/shining then ON for about and finally some ROCK music.
14d Spirit about to be put in mixture of ale and punch (10)
LEPRECHAUN – Place RE. for reference/about inside an anagram/mixture of ALE and PUNCH.
17d Sink filled with fifty fish (8)
FLOUNDER – L, the Roman Numeral for fifty is inside/filling to FOUNDER or sink.
19d Cheap clothes reserved, minimum of cash invested (7)
KITSCHY – The first letter only (minimum) of C(ash) ins invested inside KIT for clothes and SHY for reserved.
21d Colour lacking in bottle (6)
YELLOW – The first is the straight definition and the second is a synonym of ‘lacking in bottle’ or scared.
22d Yours truly is unfortunately up for meat (6)
SALAMI – A reversal (is up) of I’m (yours truly is = I AM) and ALAS for unfortunately.
25d Wading bird in flock, no tail (4)
KNOT – Another hidden word is IN floc K NO T ail.
Thanks to the setter.